Optical Mark Response (OMR) forms are used for such things as standardized tests, games or contests, such as the lottery or keno, surveys, and digital database entry. Some examples of digital database entry forms include government forms, such as used in voting, as well as forms used by the medical and insurance industries for data collection. OMR machines are calibrated to read responses on OMR forms as positive responses if marks are non-reflective and negative if marks are reflective. The benefits of OMR scanning is the speed over manual data entry, the accuracy from eliminating potential human error, and the cost savings resulting from reducing administrative staff and reducing the time needed to collect data in the business cycle.
Currently, number two pencils are the standard writing instruments on OMR response forms. An OMR reader relies upon the reflective and non-reflective nature of the written trace. For example, an OMR reader may rely on the fact that the paper is reflective for incident light while the lead from the pencil is non-reflective. In this manner, the reader can distinguish the place where the paper has been marked.
Besides pencils, other writing instruments are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,018,122 discloses a writing instrument that includes a tubular, ink-impermeable body portion containing a plurality of reservoirs that are housed adjacent to each other, wherein each reservoir is separated from an adjacent reservoir by a reservoir barrier. A multi-sectioned nib is disposed at one end of the writing instrument. The nib includes a plurality of nib sections disposed adjacent to each other and separated from an adjacent nib section by a nib section barrier at a writing end, such that the nib sections do not communicate materials contained therein between adjacent nib sections. The opposite ends of the nib section are spaced from each other and disposed within the tubular body portion such that each nib section is disposed in communication with a different reservoir.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,083,352 discloses a ballpoint pen including a tip body made of metal having a front edge part and a plurality of inward protrusions. A ball is rotatably embraced between the front edge part and the inward protrusions. A rod part urges the ball forwardly and brings the ball into close contact with the inner surface of the front edge part. Ink outflow gaps are formed each between the adjacent inward protrusions.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,070,352 discloses a writing implement that includes a cylindrical shaft member. A pen tip member is fixed to one end of the shaft member. Colored ink seeps out of the pen tip member. Liquid, such as ink, is stored in the shaft member.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,001,091 discloses a pen that includes a housing. A first reservoir inside the housing is configured to contain a first fluid. The first reservoir includes a first opening configured to dispense the first fluid. A second reservoir inside the housing is configured to contain a second fluid. The second reservoir includes a second opening configured to dispense the second fluid. A first writing tip extending from the housing is configured to dispense a substantially homogeneously mixed fluid to a writing surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,287 describes a multi-color marking implement having a number of flat-faced, adjacent marking nibs communicating with a plurality of nib-wicks, containing inks of different colors.